The Austin Law Commune defended anti-war protesters and civil rights activists for free from 1969 to 1977 in Austin, Texas. Passionate, committed, and charismatic, they were involved in national cases, regional cases and local Austin cases.
Movement Folk Tales
Witches Hex the LBJ Library. Watch the Video
Women in Texas History
In recognition of Women’s History Month, People’s History in Texas celebrates the innumerable contributions of Texan women with our educational articles, documentaries, and podcasts. People’s History in Texas presents Talkin’ Union, a four-part oral history of four women who organized labor unions in Texas in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. The women are Alberta Snid, participant in the 1938 Pecan […]
PHIT and Black History Month
To celebrate Black History Month, People’s History in Texas highlights our work that showcases Black history in Texas.In 1960, a group of civil rights activists in Austin staged a “stand-in” at the Varsity movie theater on Guadalupe St. to protest segregation. This is their history. The Stand-Ins This short video highlights the Texas Department of Agriculture during the Jim Hightower […]
Women In Texas History Calendar
In 1976, People’s History in Texas, Inc. created a calendar of Texas women’s history. It was the first of its kind and was rudimentary as the research had to be done using card catalogues and sweeps through old and crinkly newspapers. It was a first and rudimentary effort. But PHIT has digitized the calendar and it is now available on […]
Mining The Archives Podcast
People’s History in Texas has initiated a podcast series to explore and present to out listeners the oral histories that have been collected by PHIT and others as well. Episode 1 Judy Smith worked for the Rag in Austin, Texas. A committed woman’s activist, she also was instrumental in encouraging Sarah Weddington to take the case of a woman’s right […]
Space City
Space City Space City, the underground newspaper that published in Houston from 1969-1972, once lost, has been digitized. All 103 publications are uploaded to the Internet Archive for preservation. View the video describing Space City and the Space City Book project Flip through the first […]
Jim Hightower & Texas Populism
You may know of Jim Hightower for his larger than life personality and quick wit, but his tenure with the Texas Department of Agriculture is no laughing matter. In his eight years in office, he ushered in a wave of populist reforms that have largely been written out of history. View our Blog Posts View our Video Essays […]
The Stand-Ins (2013)
In 1960, a group of civil rights activists in Austin staged a “stand-in” at the movie theater on Guadalupe Street to protest segregation. This is their history. 7th Grade Lesson Plan 11th Grade Lesson Plan
Law Firm for the Poor (2008)
This is the story of Legal Aid of Austin, celebrating forty years of battling for for social justice. Perfect for the classroom. In 1966, the Austin Legal Aid Society was established. It was one of the first in the country that took advantage of that vital section of the War on Poverty laws passed during the Johnson Presidency. The Austin […]